Brung Low
by Twist
Summary: PG for darkness. Songfic to Default's 'Deny' about the woman who "brung low" our dear Vimsey.


Brung Low  
  
By: Twist  
  
Music by Default  
  
A/n: Takes place, I've thought, from an hour before the beginning of Guards!, Guards! up to the beginning of the book. This thing's been gathering dust in the files of my computer, so I guess I let you have a look, finally. IMPORTANT: This is much, much, much better, in my opinion, if you listen to the song while or before reading this. The music just . . . goes. // Indicates the beginning and ending of a verse.  
  
Disclaimer: Twist does not own Vimes or his girlfriend. They belong to Terry Pratchett. The song "Deny" belongs to Default and their wonderful people.  
  
~  
  
//Today I woke up and you were gone  
  
The whole day I'm wondering what I did wrong  
  
It's like I'm falling from a mountaintop  
  
My heart keeps pounding and it won't stop//  
  
Captain Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch stared moodily into the half- empty beer bottle in front of him. She'd had broken it off, and she hadn't let him down easily. She'd told him it was over, and then mocked him. His past, his family, and Stoneface.  
  
It had been a week since then.  
  
//Can't you see this hell I'm living  
  
I'm not giving up//  
  
"So, you're still trying to get over me, are you? Honestly, Vimes, you're such a softie." She was behind him. Mocking him again. He snarled and took a deep drink of the beer.  
  
//Will you crawl to me  
  
Will you fall with me  
  
I'll never crawl to you  
  
I've done it all for you//  
  
They'd lived together, for gods' sakes. He'd made the majority of the money, she'd taken care of things. It worked like that.  
  
"Have you gotten a raise lately, worthless? Are you managing off thirty dollars a month? You seem to spend more on beer." She was grinning. He could tell.  
  
//Well don't deny  
  
The hand that feeds, you needs you  
  
Oh god I'd die to try to  
  
Finally please you//  
  
It had started out fine. They'd been happy. But then he'd started drinking. More and more money went into alcohol. She'd kicked him out.  
  
//There goes a piece of me  
  
Will I cease to be  
  
I've never lied to you  
  
Fought, bled and died for you//  
  
"Go away." He didn't need this. Not after today. Not after Gaskin.  
  
"Come outside, Sam." He did. He didn't know why.  
  
//Well don't deny  
  
The hand that takes you  
  
Breaks you//  
  
"I did love you, Sam," she whispered in the alley. "You helped me up. And you brought me down."  
  
//Oh god I'd die to try to  
  
Finally please you//  
  
"I'm sorry," he slurred through the alcohol.  
  
"How dare you say that, worthless," she hissed, eyes narrowing. "You're sorry for the humiliation you caused me?"  
  
//There she goes  
  
And I'm on the ground//  
  
I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the -  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Godsdamn you!" She slapped him, and due to the fact his head was swimming in a bath of whiskey, he fell.  
  
//There she goes  
  
And I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the - //  
  
He climbed back to his feet, took a badly misjudged swing at the woman, missed, and fell again. She kicked him.  
  
//There she goes  
  
And I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the - //  
  
"I hate you!" Vimes watched her run off into the Ankh-Morpork night, and felt the drizzle hit his face.  
  
//There she goes  
  
And I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the ground  
  
I'm on the - //  
  
He staggered to his feet, and tottered off into the night, with vague intents of returning to the Watch House and more specific intents of finding another pub.  
  
//Well don't deny  
  
The hand that feeds, you needs you  
  
Oh god I'd die to try to  
  
Finally please you//  
  
"I don't think I should serve you more, Captain," the bartender said, polishing a glass and backing away from the hunched shape at the counter. There comes a point when a bartender at a small bar will actually stop serving beer, and that is when he feels his personal safety is at risk. The captain at the counter looked far too dangerous.  
  
"I need another."  
  
"Nossir. Perhaps you'd better go home."  
  
//Will you crawl to me  
  
Will you fall with me  
  
I'll never crawl to you  
  
I've done it all for you//  
  
Vimes staggered off into the night. The city, he began to reason, was a woman . . .  
  
~  
  
End, for the love of the gods. 


End file.
